Sunday, February 28, 2010

What to read???

Alas, it has happened: I have NOTHING to read! Deep breaths. My Nightstand Stack (NS) has dwindled to one measly book that I'm not really enjoying, and none of the books on my shelves are holding any appeal. I think I'm just in a picky mood. In fact, I tried on four different outfits today just to go bike riding. I didn't realize the absurdity of my pickiness (or indecisiveness, you may argue) until I found the dog buried in a pile of clothes that I had deemed unworthy of bike ride apparel. Bike riding! Four outfits!

Anyways, it's time for some new books. And some new bike riding clothes, apparently.

I've always found it interesting how readers choose their books. Was it recommended by someone else? Did it jump out at you in a bookstore? Did you read about it on a blog or online book list?

When I'm in need of a new book, I hit up the following websites and blogs:

Where do YOU find out about new books to read??? Any sites I should include?

Do you keep a "Gotta Read Now!" list, as my students do?

Recipe to Read By: Picky Palate Chocolate Pudding

Even the pickiest of eaters will eat chocolate pudding. This recipe can be made in the microwave and will be ready to eat before any indecisiveness kicks in.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1.) In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Whisk in milk a little at a time so the mixture does not have any dry lumps. (If you get dry lumps, pick them out with your fingers and plop them in your mouth.)

2.) Place in the microwave, and cook for 3 minutes on high. Stir, then cook at 1 minute intervals, stirring between cooking times for a few minutes, or until shiny and thick. Stir in vanilla.

3.) Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming (unless you like pudding skin--then by all means forgo the plastic wrap), and chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold for breakfast. Or whatever.

Mmmm. Pudding.

Recipe courtesy of www.allrecipes.com

10 comments:

I generally have about 30 books checked out of the library at once, so I hardly find myself without something I'm wanting to read. But! The way I choose all of these books is simply through lack of self control - I read too many book blogs for my own good because I'm constantly adding books to my GoodReads to-read list. I also love to browse the new books (YA and children's mostly) at the library and will come away with a dozen or so impulse selections per visit. As for websites, besides blogs themselves (and there are too many to name), I also peruse the Cybils nominees and winners from time to time. And if my library has a book club going on, I like to read along - even if I don't actually show up. :)

As I go around blogs I keep a note of books I've seen which I'd like to read (http://www.playingbythebook.net/wish-list/). Also, this year I'm trying to read a book a month recommended by a friend - this means I've read (so far only) 2 books this year that I wouldn't have otherwise read - a James Ellroy book, and a book about the history of Eritrea.

I'm happy to have made your list of places to hear about books. I just got Carrie Ryan's the Dead-Tossed Waves in the mail today, and that immediately jumped to the top of my list.

As I go around blogs, and read magazines, I add books to a "books catching my eye" list in my sidebar. I'll also sometimes order from Amazon, or request from my library, if a book really catches my eye. Lately I've found some second books in a series that I'm interested in, where I haven't read the first, so I'm requesting the first books from the library immediately.

I also have about 140 MG/YA books sitting on my TBR shelf, so running out isn't very likely. But I still get in picky moods sometimes, where none of those seems appealing. Maybe next time that happens, I'll make some pudding. Mmmm...

I'm reading Wendy Mass....well her books! lol I'm so sorry your dog buried you biking clothes. That stinks.... Once I gave my dog a bath and right after she ran to the dirt and began digging. Her snout was black. HEAVEN LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE MALL was fantastic!!! I found Wendy Mass's Blog here's the link: http://www.wendymass.com